Master the Tailwheel﻿ with Dabney Aviation, LLC

Tailwheel Endorsements

Don't let anyone tell you that flying a taildragger is difficult. Sure, it requires some skills that aren't as commonly taught as they were in the 1940s, but if you can keep an airplane staight, you can fly a tailwheel. If you're a little rusty at that, we can help too!

What does it take?

A typical tailwheel endorsement customer requires between 6-8 hours of flight training and 1-2 hours of ground training to achieve the tailwheel endorsement. This can be done over the course of a few days or a few weeks, depending upon your schedule and availability.

What all do I learn?

Part 61 requires that we teach you both three-point and wheel landings, and common sense and safety dictate that we get you competent and confident at both types. Many tailwheel pilots hang their hat on one of those two types of landings (and you'll definitely learn about Aaron's preferences), but a properly-trained tailwheel pilot can execute either one on command and intentionally. You'll also spend some time getting familiarized with the general flying characteristics of the PIper Cub, if you haven't flown one before.

Either way, this isn't a quickie course. Done right, tailwheel training will complement your flying skills and give you an experience you'll want to share with your friends!

Where do I learn?

We start off on grass strips (where airplanes were meant to fly!). Once you master both landing techniques and begin to experience crosswinds, we advance you to paved strips. Your training culminates with landings on a short, narrow paved strip. We like to say that the grass strip flying is the fun flying, but you really need to be comfortable on pavement to achieve full utility from your endorsement.

What should I read/bring?

We highly recommend The Compleat Taildragger Pilot by Harvey Plourde as a preparatory text. Other than that, bring a headset, your logbook, and a sense of adventure!

I don't have my license yet. Can I train in the tailwheel anyway?

Absolutely! We love exposing pre-private students to the joys of tailwheel flying, and their flight instructors appreciate the improvements in airmanship and directional control!

How much does it cost?

In our airplane, most customers complete their tailwheel endorsement for $1200 or less. Check our Aircraft & Rates page for more details!

﻿

Try it on for size!

We offer a 30-minute tailwheel introductory flight for $75.00. You'll get a feel for the Cub and see demos of both primary landing types, and the time counts towards your endorsement. You'll be back!